Beauty and the Hanjyuu
by TheThornBird
Summary: Who can decide what they dream, and dream I do...' She loved another,but Fate had something else in store for her.
1. Prologue

Beauty and the Hanjyuu

Chapter 1: Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Twelve Kingdoms.

Her smile was magic.

The gentle vestiges of the morning sun gave her an almost ethereal look, and for a moment Kantai wondered if the young girl standing before him was an immortal from the revered Heavens than a fellow officer of Kei. But then again, everything about Shokei whispered of something enchanting. After all, she was not known as Gyokuyou for nothing. (For the blissfully ignorant, it means beautiful girl.) The ritualistic morning sessions that they had assembled for had just ended. It had been an exceptionally long one, and it appeared that Shokei was more than happy to be out again in the fresh air. It seemed, being cooped up all day in the palace hall discussing endlessly about new policies wasn't all that high on her itenary after all. As the various officers began shuffling back to their individual posts, Shokei had grasped him by the arm to accompany her for breakfast. So much for getting back to work, as he listened to her rattle on about the new chef from Ho in amusement.

Shokei shook her head as she watched Kantai poke about his plate, making the initially delectable-looking pastry look like some congealed gunk that she was once made to eat when she was still living in the shelter. She frowned, as she suddenly reached over and removed the offending chopsticks from his hands. That unexpected gesture promptly shook him out of his reverie as he looked at her.

"Kantai, you really should learn to take a break from work once in a while. You're still thinking about Shojyuu said this morning, ne?" she leaned over and took another piece of pastry. Maneuvering with the greatest of ease, she separated it into four small bite-size portions in her plate before placing it in front of a nonplussed Kantai. He sighed, and broke into an apologetic grin in reply.

"Gomenasai, my mind was indeed in someplace else. I still cannot believe that Shojyuu is going to increase the taxes of the people twice fold during the winter solstice. It's already difficult for the people to gather sufficient food and funds for themselves; and now this is to be added to their burdens?" His brows furrowed as he took a sip of tea from his cup, before hesitantly raising a morsel to his mouth. Shokei could feel the increasing frustration emanating from him.

'He's a truly good man at heart, albeit one that judges another a little too fast,' she thought.

She toyed with a stray strand of violet, wondering if she should tell him what she knew. Yoko had pulled Suzu and her into her quarters before the morning assembly, intending to brief them on her latest policy. Both were somewhat taken aback at first, but as she weighed the pros and cons she knew that Yoko was doing the right thing. But she promised that she would help her keep it a secret till the time was ripe….yet seeing how bothered the man that she had come to regard as one of her closest friends, well, she was torn with indecision. The kingdom and the Queen that she was serving now was the utmost priority, as she pushed back her uncertainty to the back of her mind. "Have faith in your Queen, Left General." She said simply, flashing him yet another amazing smile. Kantai felt his lips reluctantly curve, and for that moment, his worries were put to rest.

At Kimba Palace…

Yoko folded her arms on her writing desk, resting her head on them. Thank goodness Keiki wasn't here now, she'd probably hear no end of him going on endlessly about the mortal sufferings of the people. Despite knowing fully well that it was in the Kirin's nature to be merciful, it was a little too much for her to bear. It was already enough that she had faced the majority of her ministers and officers voice their disapproval. "At least I still have Shokei and Suzu on my side," she mused silently as she tugged the golden hairpiece that held her crowning glory in place. It was a basic protocol for one to appear prim and proper during assembly, but it had begun to feel like a lead weight after wearing it for almost a whole day. After a few futile yanking and pulling, Yoko decided that it an impossible task. Sure, she had faced a tricky battle against a fake queen and joined a rebellion for her throne, but her own accessory had beaten her. How ironic.

She began to rise out of her chair to call for Gyokuyou, but a familiar pair of hands suddenly eased her back down. Yoko resisted the urge to turn around and 'greet' the new arrival the only way she knew possible. 'Two can play at this game,' she thought cheekily. She cleared her throat, trying to make her voice sound as natural as possible. "Is that you, Gyokuyou? I'm a little exhausted so I'd like to retire to bed soon. Can you remove my hairpiece please?" Now this would be pretty interesting; the hairpiece had a intricate clasp that required a series of turns and clicks before it would release. Only Gyokuyou knew how to handle it.

It only took less than two seconds for Yoko to confirm her suspicions about the 'intruder'. Fumbling hands fought a discreet battle with the mentioned piece, and not long after, an (intentional or unintentional) growl followed. Letting out a giggle, she whipped around. Using her right feet to trip him, she manipulated his momentum to push him on top of the desk. "Nandayo!" exclaimed a startled voice. The documents and scrolls that were thrown askew revealed the face of a thoroughly bewildered Rakushun. She beamed down at the hanjyuu pleasantly; though the latter was beginning to feel that he was more like a hapless prey before a mighty Youma.

"Well well, what do we have here? You must know that sneaking up on a Queen is a capital crime tantamount to treason against Heaven. Yet you took a risk?" she asked in mock alarm.

So much for the element of surprise, it had backfired brilliantly. He wasn't too disappointed though, as he felt sweet lips press softly against his own. He savored the kiss, parting his lips to allow entrance to her probing tongue. She tasted of sweet berries, he decided hazily. He had come here to discuss about the stuff that she had told him through the bird. The details were pretty vague, and he had felt that it would be better if they met face-to-face. Besides, that wasn't the only reason why he wanted to come. Rakushun bent his head a little, gently breaking the kiss. Yoko still had her eyes closed, her lips still curved invitingly. He really hated doing that, but there were more important things at hand. He sat up gingerly, causing her to stand up and move backwards to give him some space. She sighed in resignation before planting herself on one of the polished wooden stools. Just the perfect timing for him to spring this up on her. She could almost feel the beginnings of a headache form.

"I'm assuming you came after hearing what I said previously…I told you, I can handle it on my own. Besides, don't you have to study?" she asked. Rakushun shook his head, his dark gray hair ruffling a little. "I requested a short period of leave from the Sage on grounds of an urgent matter. He permitted," he shrugged his shoulders, " besides, the University will be closed for the winter in a short while." In spite of being together for quite sometime, Yoko still felt her face grow slightly warm. He regarded her words as an urgent matter? That was just so…sweet. But then again, he was Rakushun.

He could never fathom what girls her age were thinking. One moment she was giving him the most amazing kiss he ever had, the next moment she was flushed and staring into space. Is she ill? Yoko never did know her limits; despite being an immortal blessed with eternal life, it was still important for her to know when to rest. He sat beside her and placed a hand on her forehead.

"Ne Yoko, are you alright? Your face is kind of red…perhaps you're heaty. That's what happens when you stay up so late at night; I mean being a Queen is important, but taking care of your self is just as important too. Standing up, he began to walk towards the door. "Perhaps I could make you some chilled Lotus Root soup, that always worked when my mother made it for me during my exams. I think the Royal Kitchen should have the ingredients…" he continued mumbling to himself, oblivious to a certain astonished-looking Queen. He can cook? And he was going to cook for her? When will wonders ever cease?

Long slender arms wrapped themselves around his waist just as Rakushun was about to step out of the room. He stiffened in surprise as he turned to face Yoko; her eyes closed with a huge grin as she buried her face into his broad back. He smiled.

"Thank you," she whispered.

**TBC**

A/N: Hi all! This is supposed to be a sequel, inter-related with my first fic; Second Glances. The characters will be more OOC because of stuff they went through in S.C. so don't be surprised. Due to a major glitch, my original computer is officially down so I'll be temporarily unable to update as the documents are in there. I hope you'll like these as much as Second Glances and do leave me a review to tell me what you think.

A few other things: this title has hidden meanings, and it may or may not refer to the pair you're thinking. cunning grin Did a number of fanart for both of the fics, though I don't know where's a good place to post them. Any suggestions?


	2. Undesired, Unexpected

Beauty and the Hanjyuu 

Chapter 2: Undesired, Unexpected

Disclaimer: I don't own Twelve Kingdoms or its amazing characters.

Shokei stride purposefully towards Yoko's sleeping quarters, intending to continue the conversation that they had earlier. Kantai said that he would meet up with her a little later, so she decided to go on without him. Suzu was delayed too, since she had 'matters' to attend to, as she had put it. "I wonder if Yoko would think that sneaking into Ei State College to visit Sekki is considered a pressing matter." She always knew that Suzu had this adorable crush on him, it was all too obvious. A few weeks after the rebellion, he had announced that he was going to leave the capital to head to Ei. Suzu had then promptly burst into tears and locked herself in her room, leaving a confused Sekki wondering if he had unwittingly said something that had upset her. "Nani…" he scratched his head.

**Flashback**

"Open up, Suzu! What are you doing, and why are you locking yourself up?"

Stoned silence. She tried again, knocking the wooden door lightly. "Come on, tell me what's bothering you? Is it something to do with…Sekki leaving?" She heard the muffled patter of footsteps before the door creaked opened before her. A gloomy-looking Suzu stared up at her, her usually bright eyes now blood-shot and puffy. She abruptly turned to face the opened window, embarrassed that her friend had seen her in such a wretched state. But that was nothing compared to the overwhelming emptiness she felt. He was leaving.

Shokei cocked a questioning eyebrow. This was very unlike Suzu. She wasn't the type to get so upset over small things; after all this was the very same girl who had single-handedly joined a rebellion to bring down the tyrannical Shoko without a moment of hesitation. She was courageous in her own right, yet something must have perturbed her so. Shokei tried to fight down the amused smile that was on her face as realization dawned. It was pretty simple: Suzu was in love with Sekki. And now he's leaving, naturally she would react that way. She slung a reassuring arm around Suzu's petite shoulders, trying hard not to laugh out. Love had a way of rendering people helpless in its wake.

"You know, if you really like him that much you should tell him about it. Its not as if he can read your mind, and besides," she tried to make her face look as innocuous as she possibly could, " he is kind of cute, not to mention talented at such a tender age. If you want to give him up, then don't blame me for _cutting in…_" She looked at her best friend through the side of her eye; the expression on Suzu's face having an uncanny resemblance to a blowfish. All traces of sadness magically disappeared from her face; instead, Suzu seemed more energized than before. "Don't you even try! He's –" She stopped in mid-sentence as she saw Shokei shaking with laughter.

"Shokei, you little imp! How dare you tease me at a time like this!" she exclaimed, giving her a playful smack on the arm. Shokei hugged her stomach as her sides began to ache from laughing too much.

"Well, I had no other choice. I'd probably have to talk myself dry of body fluids to coax anything out of you."

She propped her elbow on the window still, looking intently at Suzu, of whom the latter suddenly became very interested with the spot on her shoe. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally spoke. "I know I should be happy for Sekki for getting in, he really has what it takes to become an officer. But I just…" she sighed, continuing. "I don't even know if he likes me…I mean what if I tell him but he just blanks out or something? Perhaps I should just accept the news and let him go instead." Shokei could stand this no longer. She grabbed Suzu's wrist and dragged her out of the room.

"Look Suzu, I am not going to sit here doing nothing and watch you mope as you let such a chance slip away. If you just let him leave, Kami knows if he'll meet someone else and you'll be left to nurse a broken heart." She lowered her voice and placed both hands on Suzu's cheek. Her palms were warm and soothing, and Suzu felt that she seemed to be generating into her that bit of strength and determination that she needed. "You never know if he feels the same until you try, so don't blow it." She gave her a push, nodding her head towards the courtyard where Sekki was sweeping. Suzu took deep breaths, trying to will her heart to slow down. She gave Shokei a grateful smile before slowly walking towards him.

Shokei never managed to catch what they said to each other, but judging by the identical smiles of joy that were on both their faces, she'd say it was a success.

**End of Flashback**

She paused, stopping by the side of the hallways, admiring how the afternoon sun made the Palace Garden's flowers bloom with an unspoken vivacious spirit, brightening even the darkest corners. It would be nice to take a stroll with the one you loved, especially on a day like this. Suzu would definitely like this. Shokei smiled to herself as another face surfaced into her mind.

Rakushun.

She resumed her walking as her thoughts began to wander. She remembered the time that she had dragged him along with her to be thrown in jail for stealing Kyo-Ou's treasures. The poor guy didn't have the faintest idea what hit him. Yet, not only did he take her foul temperament in his stride, he didn't even blame her the slightest bit for getting him into trouble. He had been so accommodating and forgiving throughout the whole time they traveled together, Shokei sometimes found herself wondering if it was all just a dream. Had it been someone else that she had ran into, someone less hospitable than Rakushun, she most certainly won't be where she was today. She suddenly felt a sense of longing overcome her. It had been quite sometime since she last saw him. She promised that as soon as she helped Yoko tide through this obstacle, she'd do the same thing that Suzu did. She let out a soft giggle as she reached the threshold of the Queen's room.

"Thank you."

Shokei stepped back upon hearing those words. "Is Yoko busy? I thought she wasn't expecting any company today." She shifted her foot ever so slightly, and in that certain instant, she caught a clear glimpse of the visitor.

It was Rakushun? What was he doing here? As her eyes traveled lower, she saw that Yoko had her arms around him, her face nuzzling his ear affectionately. This wasn't happening…it just couldn't. Why was her best friend hugging the man she had secretly given… No, maybe she just caught them at a bad time. Rakushun was, after all Yoko's good friend too. He might be just trying to comfort her or something. If only it was that simple. Shokei felt her heart plummet to the bottom of her stomach, as she stood rooted to the spot, unable to take her eyes off the pair. Rakushun leant a little closer, his mouth inching ever so slowly towards Yoko. She felt tears well up her eyes as she turned, intending to leave when she felt someone grasp her hand.

It was Kantai.

He apparently witnessed the whole thing as she had. Raising a finger to his lips, he motioned for her to keep silent as she followed him out of the room. Back outside the hallway, he began to make his way to the stables. Shokei peeked at him, unwilling to show her face. He still hasn't let go of her hand. She wondered if he was going to say about what just happened. She looked down again. What a day it had been; one moment she was in high spirits and the next, she was…well she didn't know what to think. She just wanted to curl up in her futon and pull up the covers for the next few days.

"Ja…Kichiryo is all geared up, let's go." Before she could even open her mouth to protest, she felt herself being lifted and plopped on the magnificent black beast. Kantai swung one foot over and landed neatly behind her. He slapped the reins firmly and Kichiryo began his ascent towards the azure blue sky. In a few moments, all that was left of them was a tiny speck amongst the clouds.

Back in Kimba Palace….

"Ah-Choo!"

Yoko sneezed, just before his lips reached hers. Rakushun jumped back in shock, watching the girl before him blush furiously, her face a shade of red that would have rivaled her hair. "Gomenasai! Where did that come from…" she muttered, rubbing her nose. Despite shattering the whole romantic atmosphere, she was still unbelievably cute. 'Perhaps that had come at the perfect timing, otherwise Kami knows when we'll start to get down to serious business,' he mused as he sat down on a polished stool.

A/N: Acck. Shall honestly profess to tearing my hair out while trying to think of how to continue Second Glances and this fic. Sad to say, it resulted into nothing more than the demise of my brain cells; peeps, I've got writer's block. The horror, the mayhem! I need some help, if anyone wants to give me feedback or suggestions, review or even email me would be great. Till the next chapter then…


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